Chapter 12
Earlier that morning, Diana forgot one crucial detail. She wasn't one who could forget that easily but because of her jumpy nerves from excitement and anxiety, she has a predicament to deal with now.
After reading Andrew's text that he'll be on his way to get her, she walked in slowly towards her painting room. Professor Croix was already stationed to her seat and reading a magazine as usual. But today, it was about video games.
When the Italian professor noticed her, she said, "As always you're in time, Miss Cavendish. Come let's begin."
"Actually Professor, I have something to tell you."
"Oh?" Professor Croix clasped the magazine shut and crossed her legs, "Sounds important."
Diana bit her inner cheek, ever since she lost her spark in painting; her mentor was there for her all the time.
Professor Croix would give her painting lessons on her free time and they never went off schedule. Practicing and following their schedule was important for the both of them with their busy lives. The Professor was strict and so was she.
They had their life rhythm blended harmoniously to accommodate each other. That is, until now—where Diana had to apologize for the disruption on the day itself.
"First of all, I'm in deep gratitude for all that you've done for me."
"Let's not make it sappy, Diana."
Diana smiled. "Yes, of course, Professor. I fear we can't continue today's lesson for I had a previous arrangement that I failed to mention to you before today."
Professor Croix's eyes widened. She crossed her arms in deep stun that Diana feared that the woman was sent into shock. She finally mustered. "What arrangement is it so that you would give it a higher priority than this?"
"You said so yourself I should find myself a muse," Diana said. "And I'm certain I had found one."
Now Diana was sure that Professor Croix was turned into stone. It was a long time before she even blinked. "Oh Nine Muses, Diana! Finally, a boy has earned your interest!"
"Umm," Diana's gaze fell to the floor, her cheeks warm. "It's not a boy."
"Oh!" Professor Croix said, "Forgive me for implying, is he just a friend?"
"Even better," Diana couldn't help but grin. "I found a girl."
Professor Croix bolted to her feet, startling Diana as she placed both her hands on her student's shoulder. "I'm so ecstatic for you, Miss Cavendish! And a girl, is she truly the one who can inspire you? Tell me, dear child. Did you ask her to become your model?"
"I did. And she will agree once I agree to be her model as well."
"Oh?" Professor Croix raised an eyebrow. "Is she a painter too?"
"You could say that," Diana said, meekly. Unknown to her how her mentor would react. "She's a photographer."
"Oh," a disappointment was evident in her tone. "But she must be excellent at it if you found her so inspiring."
Diana's gaze bravely met the Professor's. "Yes, and she's wonderful."
"I see." Professor Croix tightened her grip on Diana's shoulders. "Go get her, may the Nine Muses smile upon you today."
Diana loved the fact that Akko was serious in this. It made asking Professor Croix for a break in painting lessons worth it.
Akko was clever, in a strange sort of way, but that didn't diminish her capacities as a person—or even as a photographer—on the contrary, it only amplified them, because she could see the world differently than others. But in a way, Diana found that charming about her.
Once and every while, Diana found herself staring at Akko's thighs, for Akko looked pretty in those red shorts and the orange jacket that she would most certainly dispose of once the sky starts blowing cold wind.
Often, Akko chose to speak about the unlikeliest things in the world and—by the end of what would be the most chimerical conversation of one's life—people would suddenly find themselves either charmed by her passion and deep-rooted convictions or completely averse towards her openness.
Diana was brought out of reverie when the strange girl who has been giving her condescending looks went out of her way from the props area and stood next to Akko, initiating a conversation with her.
She didn't hear the girl's question but Akko's voice was loud enough.
"Well, Chariot always says that you will discover a lot about yourself through your photography."
"Seems like she says a lot of quotes," Sucy commented.
"Yes, she does!"
"Is that really hers or was it paraphrased?" she grinned, loving the rise she was getting out of her.
"Sucy!" Akko glared. "Is this you implying that she's a copycat again?"
Sucy merely snickered, the way her visible eye crinkle was enough to tell Diana that the Filipino girl had gained the same interest in the girl that she had laid eyes upon, and Sucy watched Akko with the same inquisitiveness and same desire to get to the bottom of her secrecy; she offered her help whenever she would seem in need of a hand and more than once had Diana noticed Sucy eyeing Akko's behind.
Something alien stirred inside of her, like a brewing a witch's cauldron the more she focused on them. So Diana decided to ignore them—ignore the feeling.
Everyone was, for a couple of minutes, productive until their nostrils whipped up an enchanting smell. The scent was apparent now, their stomachs anticipating being full but they try to ignore their innate desire, so they merely indulged themselves with the sinful aroma.
"Okay!" Akko suddenly yelled, "Wardrobe change and next location!"
Lotte checked their schedule with a pen. "Okay, next location is by the grove."
"Eh?" Akko asked. "It is?" She gazed back to the sky, unknowingly narrowing her eyes as she placed her pointy finger and thumb under her chin. "It's too early for that. I want the trees to give me some flares from the golden hour."
"Oi!" Amanda barked. "Don't tell me we're going to change schedules again!"
Constanze hummed, crossing her arms with a pout.
Amanda had more to say. "If you change your schedules on the whim, why the fuck do you have to send us copies of your written schedules? Lotte even printed them out and handed it to us for you!"
"That doesn't sound really good at all," Jasminka added.
Akko gave an awkward laugh, "S-sorry."
Lotte sighed but understood. "Now now, Akko is a creative girl and she does tend to change decisions often for the love of art. Our job as her friends and co-workers is to trust her judgment like she does to us."
"Well," Sucy drawled. "It does sound good if you put it that way."
Akko bared her teeth at the strange girl which made Sucy smile to Diana in a mocking sort of way.
Diana was about to ask what the second location but was interrupted when everyone speeded up on their tasks. She didn't want to destroy the structure of concentration. Diana didn't wait for Lotte or Jasminka to inform her of what she should do next for she completely knew what clothes she should wear for that. She headed towards the trailer where she remembered to have last seen her luggage, and upon finding it in a dark corner of the changing room, she dragged it along the floor and placed it near the bed. Upon a closer inspection of this place, despite the fact of how rowdy the American girl was, she was a daughter of someone wealthy.
Diana opened her luggage by the locks and then rummaged through the many layers of clothes and purposeless items alike in order to find suitable attire for an elegant tea party.
She then heard light footfalls towards the door before it creaked open. Diana turned around to see Lotte with a heart-warming smile. "Do you need some help with your clothes?"
Diana found it easy to smile back. "Yes, and thank you."
A few minutes in, she got dressed quite fast, thanks to Lotte's help. They both proceeded outside to find a wooden folding table was neatly arranged just outside the gazebo as it overlooks the lake, a white table blanket on top of and the stylish manner in which Jasminka had placed the cutlery upon it.
The table was laden with a feast fit for the royalties themselves, whole wheat bread baked by Jasminka, topped with thick golden honey, layered cakes, cupcakes, and tarts. Raisin filled muffins, savory meat filled with pineapple sauce or olive oil, three kinds of different salads, all with chopped lettuce and baked tomatoes and four different types of tea in four pots. There was also a huge bowl of grapes and other freshly picked berries that were in season.
She also saw Andrew's red and black chessboard on the table.
"Oh," Diana mused. Akko had so many ideas that she spiraled all into today's shoot. No wonder why she's restless and constantly changes her ideas.
Andrew stood beside her, his face arrogantly amused. "I'm afraid I'm fairly ignorant of the fact that you also look stunning in red as well."
Diana didn't have the energy to be bickering with him. "Andrew, I prefer boys who sit still and look pretty."
Before Diana's remark was completely understood by her childhood friend, Akko went over to her side. Her eyes shining like stars and her mouth dropped to the ground.
Somehow, Akko's gaze, although in awe, made her aware of how unusual her fashion style is. Clad in a white long-sleeved shirt, the collar upturned with a black cravat around her neck, a red underbust corset with halter straps to accentuate her figure and black high-waist shorts and black shoes.
"Diana, you look so awesome!" Akko said, swooning. Diana was reminded a little of Hannah and Barbara who fawned on her every single occasion or achievements she stumbled upon.
With a slow smile forming on her lips, the Superwoman—Jasminka—came to them with a can of red fresh body paint. "Let me paint your hands."
"Paint my what?" Diana asked.
"Ehehehe," Akko chimed in. "I wanted you to have some gloves but we kind of forgot to pack them so I asked Jasminka if she has any paint to put on you."
"That would be so unusual to look at," Diana admitted.
"But that's prevalent in magazine portraits and Pinterest nowadays so I think it's cool!"
Diana chuckled, surrendering her hands. "Akko, there's a term for you—a creative mess."
As she felt the cool and slight ticklish brush of paint in her fingers, Andrew decided to enjoy a silly banter with the photographer.
"Why were you taking photos of strangers that day in the park?" Andrew asked.
Diana whipped her head towards him, just in time to see his boyish grin directed at her with a subtle wink that implies something.
Akko—who was oblivious to the winking—flushed red like the red paint. "I don't know. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling."
"Are you sure it's just strangers in general?" he drawled. "Or there was something about Diana and me or, did you find yourself focusing more on Diana?"
Freaked out with what Andrew teasing Akko about, they quickly were intervened as embarrassment rushed within her, "Leave her alone, Andrew." Diana retorted.
Akko acted dumb, decided to play its role, or was really fawning. Diana couldn't tell. She shook away her daze so she could get a glimpse of what Akko was so damn excited about. The smile on Akko's face was nearly contagious, and the lilt in her voice as she said. "Diana is so beautiful inside and out! There's no denying that!"
Diana hoped the heat in her face didn't turn her cheeks blazing red, and for a moment, she silently debated telling Akko she needed to take a break from shooting.
But God help her, she wasn't ready to leave Akko's side.
"I do mean that she was scouting out for beauties for her Finals," Andrew assured Diana, and then gazed back at Akko. "You should at least try to look less suspicious when taking photos."
"I was blending in with the environment!"
Andrew knitted his brows together. "You were still easy to spot on. I bet it was easier to just ask. Diana and I wouldn't mind modeling for you."
Akko placed her fingers together then took a long hard sigh. She even crouched. If it was a Japanese body language, Diana wouldn't know of it.
Diana stared at the delicate painting Jasminka did on her arms. It was in a form of fingerless gloves and she found it pleasant to look at. Her paint-coated hands reminded herself when she was younger. The days when she enjoyed painting and could absolutely paint whatever she wanted and whenever she can. She was gifted. It wasn't hard—until the death of her mother.
When Jasminka was done painting and retouching Diana's makeup, Akko had a hard time whether to include or remove the gold painted metal crown in Diana's head.
Diana strutted to the table, ignoring the food that was calling her attention. Sure the crew could sneak in a few bites but she, and Akko was completely focused on the task at hand.
And somehow that was everything.
"Taken any good photos you like yet?" Lotte asked after quite some time after the sky darkened, implying an impending chance of rain.
As a photographer, Akko loved to use natural light. She called herself an expert on it but every expert has their weakness. Akko's weakness was darkness. Without the sun for its natural light, she wasn't satisfied with the photos she took from a secondary source of light.
Constanze provided the secondary light, as she carried and pointed its light towards Diana.
"Hmm not yet," Akko bit her lower lip in contemplation. "They are good but not that good."
Ever since they got to the second location, Akko's flow of creativity faded. Even though she saved the best for last, she just wasn't feeling it. Diana was still beautiful, but Akko was losing her spark.
She gritted her teeth. Starting to hate herself for not doing any justice to Diana's beauty—she wasn't even doing justice for all the trouble she had caused to her friends who willingly came on their free time for her. Well, except for Sucy because she signed a contract but still, she wasted everyone's time and she let them all down.
She was starting to think if all her hard work was worth it.
"Akko," Jasminka said, bringing her out of her train of thoughts. "If it helps, do you want to try the same outfit and location but with different hairstyles or same outfit and same hairstyle but different locations?"
"Well," Akko laughed, guiltily. "We do have time—"
"—But time flies, Kagari," Amanda said, her arms aching from carrying the reflector for two straight hours. "And experimenting means it'll rain soon and we have to wait it out then we have far too little time before it'd be dark soon."
"Eehh, I know!" she whined. "Don't you think I know that?"
"Ugh, we're going to take all day." Amanda threw the reflector skywards before it fell on the space behind her. "Akko, we have time means you don't need to take a photo of everything."
"But the more photos I take, the better I get," Akko said.
"Not necessarily today!"
"Photography isn't a hobby—it's a lifestyle!" she said, pouting.
"Why what's wrong with the photos you have so far?" Lotte asked.
"I want something more but I can't think of something to do with the settings! It also doesn't help that the sky's decided to become a bit gloomy now so I don't need my shutter speed really high but then it's still really bright with the flashlight."
Akko was afraid to admit that she hadn't prepared herself for this dilemma. It was going smoothly the first few hours until everything came crashing down on her—the weight, the direction, the decisions. It was all becoming too overwhelming.
"You're allowed to make mistakes, you know," Diana said.
"Not when I'm going to get kicked out of the school for this last mistake!" Akko gushed, nearing tears.
"Look Akko," Diana went to her side, eyes softened. "If things could go a lot worse than this, I'm willing to continue tomorrow morning. I can skip my morning class."
"Don't you ever!" Akko gasped. She didn't know why Diana was being too kind. It felt surreal. "This wasn't the agreement; I couldn't ask that much of you."
"I want to."
"Nonsense!" Akko swallowed the need to cry and ignoring the heavy hopelessness that settled on her chest. "We can do this all today! Like Chariot said, look for the silver lining!" She then averted her gaze towards the surroundings.
Beyond the table, a small path led into the woods, weaving between trees. It was gloomy now, but seeing the way the branches arched overhead, Akko suspected it would be beautiful beneath the sunlight that escaped dark clouds.
"That's it! I see life blooming here." She ran towards the spot.
Everyone else followed her in their pace.
Upon the model's arrival, she suggested. "Take it from a low aperture to make it look like surrounding me."
Akko's nose scrunched up a little. But she focused her camera on the model, followed the instructions and clicked. The moment she stared at the photo, she realized that was a good advice. "Oh! It looks beautiful!"
It was Diana's turn to show off a proud smile to Sucy.
A/N
I hope you guys enjoyed this long chapter! What do you think of Diana's and Sucy's subtle rivalry?